Carpenter Ants

HOW DO CARPENTER ANTS DAMAGE HOMES?

Carpenter ants are capable of damaging any wood they decide to build a nest in. Even worse, carpenter ants can branch out to expand the colony and form satellite nests. A carpenter ant infestation causes less damage that a termite infestation, but left unaddressed, can cause significant damage to the structure of a home.

DO I HAVE A CARPENTER ANT INFESTATION?

Carpenter ants can enter a home via wiring, piping, small cracks, ducts, telephone wiring, gas lines, and many other areas that penetrate the exterior envelope of a home. Once inside they prefer to nest inside hollow doors, wall framing, wall voids, floors, and ceilings, and any other structural member that has an abundance of wood.

Unlike termites, carpenter ants don't eat the wood they nest in. They are meticulous and carve finely "polished" tunnels and is a distinguishing characteristic between a termite and carpenter ant infestation. Instead, they tunnel passages by burrowing through the wood and remove the debris and ejecting it from the nest. The debris removed appear as small piles of sawdust and is one of the signs of an infestation.

Veteran Inspections & Services is trained and certified to look for carpenter ant infestations. We meticulously look for areas prone to infestation as well as signs of past and current infestation. At the conclusion of the wood-destroying insect inspection, we provide our clients the HUD approved NPMA-33 form detailing our findings.